A Nigerian legal practitioner, Waliu Taofik, has said that a Muslim man who contracts a statutory marriage under the Marriage Act is not legally prevented from marrying another Muslim woman in accordance with Islamic law.
Taofik made the clarification following widespread reactions to the recent civil wedding of popular content creator, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and his partner, Amadou Elizabeth Aminata, also known as Jarvis.
The couple’s court wedding, which took place on Wednesday, sparked debates on social media over issues relating to divorce, property sharing and whether Peller’s faith would permit him to marry another wife after entering into a civil union.
Reacting to the discussions in a post shared on his X account on Thursday, the lawyer maintained that Nigerian law recognises such circumstances for Muslim men.
According to him, a Muslim who has celebrated a marriage under the Marriage Act can still validly marry another Muslim woman through an Islamic marriage, popularly known as Nikkah.
He stated that a statutory or registry marriage does not, in itself, invalidate that right under Islamic law.
The legal opinion followed claims by some social media users that Jarvis would automatically become entitled to half of Peller’s assets should the marriage end in divorce.
Others also questioned whether the civil ceremony legally barred the content creator from practising polygamy in the future.
Peller and Jarvis exchanged marital vows during a private civil ceremony attended by close family members and friends before signing the marriage register.
The event precedes their white wedding, scheduled to hold on August 1, 2026.
Earlier in the month, the couple unveiled their wedding date through a cinematic announcement shared across their social media platforms before releasing their official pre wedding photographs.
In a joint Instagram post, they expressed excitement about the forthcoming ceremony, saying they were eagerly looking forward to beginning their lifelong journey together.
Before the civil ceremony, Peller had fulfilled the traditional marriage rites in Benin City, Edo State, where he met Jarvis’ family and formally paid her bride price.
The pair have built a strong online presence over the years, attracting millions of followers through comedy skits, TikTok livestreams and relationship themed content.